Facebook Timeline: The Real Reason for this Irreversible Change

Updated on June 1, 2012

Get ready for facebook Timeline... if you like it or not!!!

Facebook Timeline is a nice concept

Facebook timeline is another unnecessary change by the Facebook developers. The rumor has it that it looks more like Myspace. Why would Facebook want to copy a social networking website that they destroyed? I can not answer that for you; maybe the programmers at Facebook can tell you why they switched to timeline. I'm sure that the developers will come up with a rosy story about how polling data shows that Facebook's users like the idea of a timeline to easily navigate their wall. As the website ages finding older posts becomes harder and harder so it would be a great idea to present an option that will take users back to the beginning. When presented this way, Facebook Timeline would come off asa very powerful and interesting idea. That maybe true, but why is timeline mandatory for every user on Facebook? It probably just makes the formatting easier.

Facebook Timeline is a money play for Facebook

The real reason for Facebook Timeline is money, in case you didn't know. It increases ad revenue for Facebook by focusing on your interests and ranking them with Graph Rank rather than chronological order. I like to play some of the online games on Facebook, but guess what, my posts do not always appear on my timeline. I guess that they are there in cyberspace somewhere, but not where I would like them to be. I can't ask someone to come and click a post off of my wall, because I don't have a wall anymore, I have a Facebook Timeline now because I didn't know that it was irreversible.

What is Graph Rank?

Graph Rank is a algorithm that determines what events are important to advertisers at any particular time. Post a song, bam, it is on the front page and it will stay there. So will your pictures and maybe your status, but probably not too many of them. Facebook timeline needs to make room for your interests. Not just any interests, but those special interests that appeal to advertisers. Your interactions with your friends are now a means to an end for Facebook. Don't worry though because there will be a Facebook industry of apps coming soon. Facebook says that if you like cooking then they have an app for that. If you like running then there is an app for that. You better believe that they have targeted advertising for those apps too. Targeted to users interests at a rate of 90% accuracy.

You are Facebook's product

Facebook has basically sold out it's users in an attempt to boost it's Initial public offering (IPO) on the stock market. Users are going to have to weigh the cost to benefit ratio when using Facebook Timeline. You are Facebook's product. They track your internet activity. They know your likes. They know your friends. They know your interests. They know what kind of music you like. They know everything that you allow them to know and probably a lot of information that you don't think that they know. Now they are leaking out more and more of that information to advertisers. It is a troubling trend in my opinion. First it was through the tattle tale bar on the right side of the screen that tells everyone when you are on and what you are doing. Now it is through algorithms that know your interests so that advertisers can target you more effectively.

Pros and Cons of Timeline

In closing, timeline might be beneficial to some people that are casual Facebook users. For me personally, I do not like people looking back and seeing what I did years ago. Facebook lets you block friends from going back in time, so you can enact that option to control what your friends will see. Once that option is enabled your friends will only be able to see back a very short period of time; probably a month or so. Another problem that I have with Facebook Timeline is that I can go back in time, but I can only see what Timeline wants me to see. This equates to about 10 posts that they claim are important for an entire year. I can't go back and see some of the posts that I think were important because Facebook Timeline disagrees with me. Some conversations that I would like to revisit are seemingly gone forever. Some of my recent posts will never be seen. But Facebook Timeline thinks that they know us better than we know ourselves, so we will have to suffer through it.

I do like the big banner at the top, but be careful because if you put a picture in the banner it becomes public unless you delete it-- another little surprise for you from Facebook timeline. Hopefully this timeline will adapt over time and fix some of these issues and the ones that I haven't learned about yet. Facebook Timeline has been around for months now and these annoyances are still present, so I'm not holding my breath waiting for changes. I am a fan of Facebook, but so far I am not a fan of the Timeline. Hopefully it will grow on me. So far it is just an indication of how creepy Facebook might become now that it is a publicly traded company that will constantly be seeking new sources of Revenue.More info on Timeline

Poll: Tell us what you think

Do you like Facebook Timeline

UPDATE: Facebook changed the layout, now you can see everything that you post. When you go back in time you can see a lot more of your posts now by clicking see more. Timeline is starting to grow on me more now, but I still don't like facebook's record on privacy.

Comments 33 comments

Excellent Hub on a topic many are writing about on the net. I have seen both pros and cons. Personally I am now leaning more to Google+ as my Social Network of choice but I thought the timeline was a welcome change to FB as I felt it had become a bit stale. Interesting read. I voted UP, useful, awesome and interesting.

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

Thank you for reading, commenting and voting, Drtruthman. I got switched over to timeline, so I thought that I would look into it a little bit. When I switched over I didn't know that it was irreversible. I haven't tried Google+ yet, but I am thinking about it.

Drtruthman 4 years ago from Harlingen, Texas

I love FB Timeline, basically because of the new clean look. Like you I am very disappointed about not being able to change back. Pages other than personal pages however, will have the ability to reverse. I have been on Google+ since its roll out and in my opinion it just gets better and better. Plus for "old guys" like myself, the use of larger, bolder and black type as opposed to the blues by FB makes Google+ a much easier,cleaner post and read. It's streaming is so much better with more blocking and security. Google+ messenger has so many more advantages as well. Maybe I should write about it. Hmm, good idea, LOL. Anyway, I did really enjoy your article and look forward to reading much more.

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

Thanks for your comment again. I meant to reply when I accepted it, but I forgot. I tried out Google+ today, and I don't get it. Maybe I need to find some people on there or something. I went to search for people and articles pop up instead of pages. I guess that I need to play around with it a little bit

Drtruthman 4 years ago from Harlingen, Texas

Yes, it does take some time but once you start developing your circles with your own group of friends, its just like FB only better (in my opinion). It's much easier to control your groups/circles. The other bit of a problem is you can't always find who you want by someone's name. You usually have to know their User name. For example mine is Drtruthman but you could find me via my name (Lee Outlaw) also because I allow my profile public. Hope this helps. Lee

BlossomSB 4 years ago from Victoria, Australia

I don't like the changes either, but perhaps I should wait and see if it improves with use. A great hub, voted up and useful.

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

Thank you for the comment BlossomSB. I kind of have mixed feelings. I like my pretty picture on top and I like having some important things that I like stay on the top of my page. I don't really like the idea of becoming though. Google might be worse, who knows.

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

I don't like the idea of being facebooks merchandise. Sorry, sometimes, my comments get a little wacky.

MARYAM 4 years ago

I hate being forced to accept and like something and therefore I will close my fb account after being on it almost everyday for the past 5 years! I probably try google plus, i dunno!

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

I wouldn't rush to closing your account. They originally said that everyone would have timeline on January 1, and they still haven't switched over. I am still trying to figure out Google plus. So far, I am still confused.

ORION. 4 years ago

i believe their fatal flaw is like you said; they have all but abandoned we users in favor of chasing ad revenue for the upcoming IPO.

Timline is no minor change, this is radical, not requested and no going back.

am planning to close my account, too.

DarylnCochrane 4 years ago from New York, NY

Yeah, the change sucks, but what can we do? Either delete your account or just deal with it. Although many things about Facebook irk me, I do enjoy staying in touch with family and friends from afar, so it's pretty cool in that way. Nice hub. Voted up and interesting.

Sadly, even the chronological wall is designed to excite interest on what FB deems popular subjects. It is somewhat tweakable but I still don't see everyone's posts and some of mine seem to disappear as well. I wanted to upgrade to the timeline (I would say, "downgrade," now) because the big banner is nice, but it seems that everyone hates it and wants to go back.

My Yahoo mail tried many times to get me to change to the new format, telling me it was coming anyway on a certain date so I might as well do it now, but I refused and the doomsday date came and went and I still have my simple old mailbox.

I think in this economic culture, resisting change is good. I will resist Facebook as much as possible but we have to accept that it is a corporation like any other and change will come no matter what. If we were paying for the service, THEN I would get a lot more pissed.

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

If you don't see someones post (or only some of them) then you need to go to that persons account and under the friends menu you click settings and then change it to show all updates. That is a nice little change that facebook always likes to play with. It is a big pain if you have a lot of friends.

Thanks for the comment Alexander Mark

Aussiegirl1765 4 years ago

Timeline is impossible for dyslexics to use. It has been proven to cause seizures in people who had been seizure free for years. The flash and movement make it impossible for older people to use. Yes, old people used to love to keep up with their family on FB but no longer can navigate it. Basically Timeline discriminates against those who have ADD, Dyslexia, Seizures, TBAs and the elderly. Here is just one website found by one of our anti-Timeliners that talks about medical issues and Timeline http://forums.webmd.com/3/epilepsy-exchange/forum/...

Those with TBI's (traumatic brain injuries), who, ironically, hold support groups here....Are being forced to leave as their injuries prevent them from using their own support pages.

Timeline changes the function of Facebook, making it into a scrapbook of one's life. It does NOT promote interaction with others; it hinders it. I have no desire to make an electronic scrapbook of my life; thus, I have no desire to use timeline. Personally, I think its really creepy. I mean opening up your entire life to everyone and more importantly your past is a bit uncomfortable.

Its especially difficult for those who use facebook to play games because its impossible to go to our friends walls and find what they've posted they needed and such, now we have to use another add on to find our friends gaming posts.

I might also add that timeline is a resource hog and it takes much longer for a friend's or a group's page to load in a usable fashion.

However, if you like it thats your choice, but give us that don't like it or can't use it the choice to keep the facebook format we prefer, at least we are not so rude as to discrimate against those that like Timeline and recognise people as individuals with different taste's & preferences.

Just Ask Susan 4 years ago from Ontario, Canada

I'm not a big fan of timeline and even more so after reading your hub. Some days I can't get the groups to load at all which infuriates me. When I now want to see posts from family members I have to either click on the left side of the page under family or go to each individual page. Any idea how to fix that one?

Interesting and useful hub!

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

Facebook is always changing and messing things up. I made a group with EVERYONE of my friends and facebook found a way to mess that up too. They are going to do what they want to do, and they will block every loophole that there is to get around it. Good luck with the link that I sent you Susan. That should help you with some of your issues.

cclitgirl 4 years ago from Western NC

I guess I'm sort of indifferent about it. I mean on the one hand, you have the banner and you can see some of the activities you were doing, but on the other hand, I don't really use it - I don't like the 'too much information' idea. I also realize that FB is more public than you think, so I've all but taken off most of my personal information. That said, I do have a lot of "likes" and "interests", but I never pay attention to the ads and am on there for networking purposes generally. Great hub. Thanks for a thought-provoking read.

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

Thank you for the comment cclitgirl. I think that the biggest problem that they have now is the feed. Only some people show up. Some people never show up on mine and I have too many people to go through and fix it. I've tried before and they just change the structure of facebook. I haven't been on there too much either and I agree with your personal information assessment. My profile is very vague.

godz 4 years ago

please how to remove facebook timeline

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

I don't know of anyway to actually remove facebook timeline, but there are programs that can make it look like the old version.

Veronique Palmer 4 years ago

I personally hate Timeline with a PASSION! I am sorry I ever activated it on my fan pages, but glad I never did on my personal profile! Thank goodness for the Chrome extension which removes Timeline and Social Fixer which puts Facebook back to the way it used to be, clean and easy to read and connect - and the best part, it strips out all the annoying advertising that gets thrown at you every time you type a status update.

Caspar 4 years ago

If only... i didn't activate it - it was forced on me. i don't understand 'Chrome' or extensions or anything else - and don't have the time to waste finding out - i'm just seriously p*ssed off with the lot of it...

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

Hate is a strong word, but I definitely could do without timeline. Especially when I am looking on someone's page and I am struggling to navigate through the posts.

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

Caspar, you really should look into the chrome extension. I will write a quick tutorial on it one of these days.

santi-jose@gmail.com 4 years ago

everything is about money for FACEBOOK. nothing is about or for the users. that's a lot of BS.

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

Thanks for the comment Santi-Jose.

Pianocanival 4 years ago

Yeah, I've read something similar some time ago somewhere else. It's simple to understand. And GOD how much I hate that timeline!

However, I imagine it may backleash to them, because basically with all the negative response from users, it means FB is not taking care of their product (we users), so some of them may actually consider cancelling their accounts just to find another social network. Who knows? In my humble opinion.

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

It will happen eventually. I remember when AOL was in control of the internet. They treated their customers like dirt and where are they now. You have to take care of your product, especially when it can think for itself. Thanks Pianocanival

ShaamCA 4 years ago from India

Timeline was little hard for me to use at the beginning stage but later on i got used to it :)

michiganman567 4 years ago from Michigan Author

I got used to it too once I found the extension that makes it go away :) Thank for the comment ShaamCA

Brenda Durham 3 years ago

Thanks for this informative hub, michiganman. I fought against the Timeline too, to no avail. ha.

michiganman567 3 years ago from Michigan Author

Thanks for the comment Brenda. I still don't like timeline. The news feed on Facebook is another annoying problem. I'm hoping that a new social media site not named Google plus steps up and makes us forget about Facebook.